Means for operating boiler soot cleaners



Jan. 7, 1930. F. w. LINAKER El AL MEANS FOR OPERATING BOILER 500T CLEANEKS Filed March 51. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- Jan. 7, 1930.

F. w. LINAKER ET AL MEANS FOR OPERATING BOILER SOOT CLEANERS Filed March31, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS -By A tlorneys,

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE rnnnnnrcx w. LINAKERAND THEODORE m. nnuiaecx, or no 301s, PENNSYLVANIA MEANS FOR OPERATINGBOILER SOO'I. CLEANERS Application filed March 31, 1926. Serial No.98,680.

This invention relates to means for cleaning soot from water tubes orflues of boilers by directing against the surface to be cleaned a jet orjets of steam or other suitable fluid. In such apparatus it is commonpractice to provide a tube entering through the boiler setting into-theboiler furnace, and having perforations orjet nozzles for directing jetsof steam laterally of such tube or more commonly against the exterior ofboiler tubes. Such steam jet tubes or pipes are commonly called sootcleaner elements or soot blowers.

The present invention is directed to that type of soot cleaners in whichthe soot cleaner elements are oscillated through a given arc,

the extent of which isdetermined with reference to the particular boilerto which the apparatus is applied. In this type of apparatus the steamis preferably continuously emitted from the cleaner element While thelatter is slowly moved with preferably intermittent motion throughoutthe describedarc, the cleaner element then being reversed in itsdirection and intermittently returned to its 2 original position, theoscillation being maintained until the desired cleaning action has beeneffected. In a prior Patent No. 1,590,300, granted to us June 29, 1926,we have described a mechanism for accomplishing the oscillation of thecleaner element, such mechanism being manually operated, and beingprovided with means for automatically reversing the direction ofoscillation when it has traversed the predetermined are, thus requiring.only that the user shall continuously actuate the device withoutreference to the position or extent of movement of the cleaner element.According to the present invention we provide an improved means forreversing the direction of movement of the cleaner element.

Such improvements comprise briefly a simplification of the mechanism, amore compact and better protected arrangement for the working parts, anda more efiicient and easily operated means for efiecting the reversingac-' tion of the mechanism. The present invention also provides otherfeatures of improvement which will be hereinafter referred to:

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of theinvention,

, Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, takengenerally on the line 1 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3.

.Fig. 3 is a view, partly in elevation and the cleanerelement (althoughin practice the pipe D is a nipple coupled within the wall A to thecleaner element). The cleaner element is essentially a pipe for carryingsteam or other fluid extending a suitable distance into the boilerfurnace and commonly projecting among the boiler tubes and having a rowor rows of perforations or jet nozzles for directing a series of jets ofsteam (or other fluid) against the soot-covered surfaces. of the boilortubes. The cleaner element is mounted to turn or rotate, eithercompletely or within angular limits. The details of this construction,being well understood, are not shown. Where the bushing B emerges on theouter side of the wall A cap E is commonly ap plied to hold the pipes CD in place and in central rotative position. The pipe D projectsoutsideof the wall and enters through a stufling box or other means intothe connection head F which receives steam through an inlet pipe G anddirects it into the pipe D,

the latter being rotated within its stuffing box onthe head F. Theseparts, so far 'as described, are common with rotatable cleaner elements.

In our patent hereinbefore-referred to we have illustrated a ratchetwheel H whichis provided with hubs a a, one or both of which is fastenedby means of set screws to the pipe D. The purpose of this wheel is torotate the cleaner element D by means of a pawl which is actuated by arock lever J. In the prior construction this pawl is carried by the rocklever J and advances the ratchet wheel H preferably a distancecorresponding to one tooth on each complete oscillation of the rocklever, the idle stroke of the rock lever being utilized to advance thepawl to the next tooth. WVhen the wheel H of this cleaner element hasbeen rotated in one direction a sufficient distance the pawl isautomatically reversed, so that by a continued rocking of the lever,motion in a reverse direction is imparted to the ratchet wheel. Thelimits of the oscillating movement of the ratchet wheel and cleanerelement are in the construction of said application determined by theposition on the ratchet wheel of two stops which operate to trip thepawl. These stops are adjustable on the wheel so that the extent ofoscillation may correspond to the required surfaces designed to be,cleaned. When thereversing mechanism is to be used at a distance abovethe boiler room floor which permits it the rock lever J may be operateddirectly by the hand of the user; otherwise it is provided withoperating chains or the like 9 g.

One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide a pawlmechanism which is more simple in construction than that set forth inour prior application and one in which there is little or no tendency toturn the ratchet wheel in a reverse direction during the operation ofreversing the pawl mechanism.

In carrying this object of our invention into effect we prefer to forman extension J on the upper side of the rock lever and to utilize thisextension as a supporting member for the pawl mechanism. Preferably therock lever is formed in two halves, one of which y is pivoted on the huba and the other of which 7" is similarly mounted on the hub a. The bolts7 f maintain the two halves in alinem'ent and form convenient means forat taching the chains 9. When this construction is adopted, theextension J is formed on both plates of the rock lever and serves tosupport the pivot or pivots of the pawl mechanism.

The preferred form of pawl mechanism which we have shown-particularly inFigs. 1 and 2, comprises two distinct pawls, one of which is adapted toturn the ratchet wheel H in one direction and the other of which servesto turn it in the reverse direction. Means are provided by which whenone pawl is in operative position, the other will be held in inoperativeposition, this relation being maintained until the required reversingaction is to take place. Preferably we so con:

struct the pawls that each when in its operarock arm the ratchet wheelis avdanced a distance corresponding to one tooth, the arm beingrestricted in its movement by a stop n mounted upon the header F whichenters between abutments Z Z carried by the rock arm. On the reverse oridle stroke of the rock arm the nose of the active pawl slips idly overthe next succeeding tooth and takes its position behind it, the extentof the idle movement being determined by one of the abutments Z Z comingin contact with the stop n.

Bythe construction thus described a repeated operation of the rock armwould result in a continuous motion of the ratchet wheel in onedirection or the other, depending upon which of the pawls I or I was inoperation. To limit the rotative movement of the wheel to apredetermined arc the wheel is provided with reversing stops L L whichmay be fitted in any of the holes or recesses 1" with which the wheel isprovided. Each of these reversing stops is brought by the rotation ofthe wheel in position where it will engage one of the pawls I I duringthe return or idle stroke of the rock arm J. For this purpose each ofthe pawls is provided with a projection i (or i) lying below its pivotalaxis which projection engages the re-' verse stop L L, thereby liftingthe nose of the pawl out of contact with the tooth with which it isengaged. Simultaneously the opposite pawl which has been held out ofcontact with the wheel is dropped so that its nose engages one of theteeth of the wheel on the opposite side, so that continuedrockingmovement of the arm J forces the wheel to intermittently move in areverse direction until the second pawl is itself moved out of operativeposition and the first pawl restored to such position. The inventionhence includes means for normally holding one pawl inoperative while theother is operative, and vice versa. Preferably such means comprise thepawls themselves which according to the preferred form of the presentinvention are so constructed as to mutually act as detents, one for theother. For this purpose each pawl is provided with a projection h or hlocated above the pivotal axes of the pawls, the construction being suchthat when the projection h, for instance, lies beneath the projection h,the nose d of the pawl I will be held out of engagement with the ratchetwheel and when the projection z" of the'pawl I engages the reverse stopL and is lifted thereby, the projection h is moved upward until itreleases the projection it, thus permitting the pawl I to drop until itsnose (1 ward movement of the left-hand end of the rock arm J. In orderto minimize any friction between the respective projections 71. and

g, iiihese are preferably provided with rollers By this construction itwill be seen that the force required to lift each pawl out of itsoperative position is trifling, it being remembered that the tripping ofthe pawls occurs on the idle stroke of the rock arm J. It will beunderstood that the direction in which the rock arm J moves during suchidle stroke dependsupon. the direction in which the ratchet wheel isbeing rotated, or in other words, upon which of the-pawls'is inoperation. Thus in the construction shown the idle stroke will occur onthe downward movement of that end of the rock arm J which is nearest thepawl which is in operation.

It will be observed that the operation of the reversing pawls beingeffected by a stop on the ratchet wheel would cause a reaction on thelatter. which shouldbe equal to the force required to trip the pawl. Ifthis force .were substantial, it would tend to move the ratchet wheeland cleaner element backwardly. By making the force necessary to .tripthe pawl very sllght, even a light cleaner element which has but littleinertia has no material tendency to move during the tripmg action.

We have found it desirable, however, to

- control the forward movement of the ratchet wheel under the action ofthe pawl, so that the cleaner element does not tend to moveby its owninertia beyond the point to which it is moved by the pawl. We prefer toac complish this by means of a friction device which normally bearsagainst the pipe D, although it mayv engage any other of the parts whichoscillate in connection therewith,

' if desired. The preferred form, as shown, comprises two yokes or brakebands 1) p,

bands may adjust themselves to the surface of the pipe. Nuts .t t areprovided at the lower end of the adjusting screws. The brake bands areadjusted to introduce sufiicient friction to preventthe cleaner elementfrom moving by inertia beyond the point'to which it is carried by thepawls, thus limiting the arc through which the cleaner elementsoscillate to that to which they are mechanically moved by the operationof the rock arm. The fries tion device also holds the cleaner elementagainst any possible movement in the oppo' site direction due to thereaction against it during the change of pawls, although as beforestated this reaction is so minimized by the present invention as toseldom require.

tained which is simple to manufacture, in

which the mechanism is entirely enclosed or protected, and in which eachresetting of the reverse mechanism takes place with the exertion oflittle power. Various changes may be made in the mechanism shown anddescribed without departing from the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a soot cleaner, a turning means for a cleaner element comprising aratchet wheel connected thereto, a 1ever,-and a pawl car ried by saidlever for intermittently rotating sald ratchet wheel, said pawl havingan inoperative and an operative position, and means carried by' saidwheel for moving said pawl to its inoperative position, means forholding the pawl in such position, and means for releasing the pawl fromsaid inoperative position, said pawl being adapted to thereupon berestored by gravity to its operative position.

2. In a soot cleaner, a reversible driving meansfor a cleaner element,comprising a ratchet wheel connected with the cleaner element, a rocklever, and a pair of separate pawls carried by said rock lever formoving said ratchet wheel. in opposite directions, and means forcontrolling the operation of said pawls, whereby when one is broughtinto operative position the other is brought into inoperative position.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the operativepawl maintains the inoperative pawl in inactive position.

4. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the means forcontrolling the operation of the pawls is carried by the ratchet wheel.

5. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the pawlsface each other and have inter-engaging projections, the projection onthe pawl which is operative holding the other pawl inactive bymaintaining its projectioniin a raised position.

6. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the pawlsface each other and have inter-engaging projections, the projection onthepawl which is operative holding the. other pawl inactive bymaintaining its projection in a raised position, said projections haveanti-friction rollers adapted to cause said projections to eas-' ilypass each other.

7. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the pawls areso related to each other that the weight of the inoperative pawl assistsin holding the operative pawl in active position.

8. The mechanism of claim 2, further characterized in that the pawlsface each other and each of the pawls is provided with tWo projections,the outer projections co-operating so that the operative pawl holds theinoperative pawl in inactive position and the inner projections lieadjacent to the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel having abutments toengage the said inner projections to move the pawls to inactivepositions.-

9. In a soot cleaner, a turning means for a cleaner element adapted tomove the latter intermittently, and a constantly acting friction devicefor preventing undue movements of said cleaner element.

10. The construction of claim 9, further characterized in that thefriction device is connected to a fixed part and engages frictionally apart turning with the cleaner element and has spring adjustment meansfor controlling the degree of friction exerted against said cleanerelement.

11. In a soot cleaner, a cleaner element and an 1ntermittent means forturning it, COIHPIlSlDg a ratchet wheel connected to the element, a rocklever having arms extending on each side of the ratchet wheel andadapted to be oscillated to move the ratchet wheel in either direction,said rock lever being formed with an upper extension lying beyond theratchet wheel, pawl mechanism carried by such extension, and a coverhorizontally arranged as a part of the rock lever WlllCh overhangs saidpawls.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

FREDERICK W. LINAKER. THEODORE M. BRUBAGK.

